Drill bit

Abstract

A drill bit including a body, a shank, a cutting head, and an external covering. The body has a first end and a second end. The shank is located at the first end. The cutting head is located at the second end. The external covering is separately formed from the body and is located between the first end and the second end of the body. The external covering includes a sleeve. The sleeve has a sleeve body that radially surrounds a portion of the body and a plurality of flutes helically wrapped around the sleeve body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drill bit comprising:
 a body having a first end and a second end;   a shank located at the first end;   a cutting head located at the second end; and   an external covering separately formed from the body and located between the first end and the second end of the body, the external covering including
 a sleeve having a sleeve body that radially surrounds a portion of the body and a plurality of flutes helically wrapped around the sleeve body. 
   
     
     
         2 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the external covering further includes a flute covering that radially surrounds the body and the plurality of flutes. 
     
     
         3 . The drill bit of  claim 2 , wherein the flute covering includes a plurality of apertures defined in an outer surface of the flute covering. 
     
     
         4 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting head includes a plurality of helical head flutes that align with the plurality of flutes of the sleeve. 
     
     
         5 . The drill bit of  claim 4 , wherein the cutting head includes a plurality of axial head flutes that extend from ends of the plurality of helical head flutes opposite from the external cover, and wherein the plurality of axial head flutes extend in a direction parallel to an axis extending through the first end and the second end of the body. 
     
     
         6 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the external covering is rotationally affixed to the body. 
     
     
         7 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein a forward end of the sleeve body is positioned adjacent the second end of the body. 
     
     
         8 . The drill bit of  claim 6 , wherein the sleeve includes a plurality of sleeve lands that define the plurality of flutes, and wherein the plurality of sleeve lands extends from the forward end of the sleeve body past a rearward end of the sleeve body. 
     
     
         9 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve includes a plurality of sleeve lands that partially define the plurality of flutes, and wherein the plurality of flutes is also partially defined by the body of the drill bit and partially defined by the sleeve body. 
     
     
         10 . A drill bit comprising:
 a body having a first end and a second end, the body formed of a first material;   a shank located at the first end and configured to receive energy from a tool, the shank formed of the first material;   a cutting head located at the second end, the cutting head at least partially formed of the first material; and   a plurality of flutes located between the shank and the cutting head, the plurality of flutes formed of a second material that is different than the first material.   
     
     
         11 . The drill bit of  claim 10 , wherein the cutting head includes a plurality of head flutes that is formed of the first material. 
     
     
         12 . The drill bit of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of head flutes is helically aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of flutes. 
     
     
         13 . The drill bit of  claim 10 , further comprising a flute covering that surrounds the plurality of flutes, the flute covering formed of a third material. 
     
     
         14 . The drill bit of  claim 13 , wherein the third material is the same as the first material or the second material. 
     
     
         15 . The drill bit of  claim 13 , wherein the cutting head includes a plurality of cutting inserts, and wherein the plurality of cutting inserts is formed of a fourth material. 
     
     
         16 . The drill bit of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of flutes is rotationally affixed to the body. 
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing a drill bit, the method comprising:
 forming a body, a shank, and a cutting head of a first material, the body having a first end and a second end, the shank located at the first end, and the cutting head located at the second end;   forming a sleeve of a second material that is different than the first material, the sleeve including a sleeve body and a plurality of flutes helically wrapped around the sleeve body; and   affixing the sleeve to the body at a position between the first end and the second end of the body such that the sleeve body radially surrounds a portion of the body.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising forming a flute covering of a third material, and affixing the flute covering to the sleeve such that the flute covering at least partially surrounds the plurality of flutes. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the third material is the same as the first material or the second material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein forming the body, the shank, and the cutting head includes forming the cutting head with a plurality of helical head flutes, and wherein affixing the sleeve to the body includes affixing the sleeve such that each of the plurality of helical head flutes is helically aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of flutes.